Court rules for Fort Worth Diocese and Corporation...Late this afternoon, Judge Chupp released his ruling in our case. We praise God for His faithfulness. Bishop Iker will have a full statement tomorrow.

Partial Summary granted with exception on claims to do with All Saints Episcopal Fort Worth.]]>2015-03-02T22:28:54+00:00A 2015 Lenten February Pastoral Letter from the GAFCON Chairmanhttp://www.kendallharmon.net/t19/index.php/t19/article/59043/
Kendall Harmon"A Church that is no longer able to say ‘it is written’ has placed itself in great spiritual danger, but that is where the Anglican Communion could be led according to a review just released of ‘Living Reconciliation’, a book written to promote the 'Continuing Indaba' project."* Anglican - Episcopal, Anglican Provinces, Anglican Church of Kenya, Global South Churches & Primates
I send you greetings in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ who by his suffering and death has destroyed death!

The gospel writers normally portray Jesus’ mission as the unfolding of a clear divine purpose so I find it striking that the only occasions when we find him wrestling with choices are the temptations in the wilderness at the beginning of his ministry and in the Garden of Gethsemane as he approaches the cross.

In contrast, we easily become preoccupied with self-centred choices that distract us from the challenges of being a disciple of Jesus Christ. The temptations that Jesus faced remind us that we too are in a lifelong spiritual battle. This is a truth we affirm in the baptism service of the Anglican Church of Kenya which includes the words ‘Do not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified. Fight bravely under his banner against sin, the world and the devil and continue his faithful soldiers and servants to the end of your lives.’]]>2015-02-27T15:47:50+00:00A.S. Haley—Annual Litigation Survey for the Episcopal Church (USA) 2015http://www.kendallharmon.net/t19/index.php/t19/article/58988/
Kendall Harmon* Anglican - Episcopal, Episcopal Church (TEC), * Christian Life / Church Life, Parish Ministry, Stewardship, * Culture-Watch, Law & Legal Issues, Religion & Culture, * International News & Commentary, America/U.S.A., * Theology, Ethics / Moral Theology
Your Curmudgeon proposes to do what he can to rectify this situation, by publishing an annual update on this site of the current status of all past and present cases in which ECUSA or any of its dioceses has been or is involved, from 2000 to date. Feel free to link to this post, to email links to it to other Episcopalians, and to send it to your Bishop -- and feel free to post any updates or corrections in the comments. In another update to be posted as General Convention approaches, I will publish a revised total for all of the money spent by ECUSA and its Dioceses to date on prosecuting all of these lawsuits (and, in the case of the second group below, defending them).

The lawsuits initiated by ECUSA and its dioceses to date are first listed below. They far outnumber, as you can see, the second list of the eight cases begun by a diocese or parish against the Episcopal Church (or a diocese). The listing endeavors to be as complete as I can make it. The first 83 cases, generally grouped by the State in which they each originated, are the legal actions filed since 2000....

Take the time to read it all.]]>2015-02-24T11:01:40+00:00South Carolina Dorchester County Judge Diane Goodstein Reaffirms Ruling Against TEChttp://www.kendallharmon.net/t19/index.php/t19/article/58982/
Kendall HarmonAn updated list (as of March 1) of all the recent news stories about the South Carolina litigation may be found here.* Anglican - Episcopal, Episcopal Church (TEC), TEC Conflicts, TEC Conflicts: South Carolina, * Christian Life / Church Life, Parish Ministry, Stewardship, * Culture-Watch, Law & Legal Issues, * South Carolina, * Theology, Ethics / Moral Theology
In her Order denying the motion for reconsideration she stated, “Large portions of the motion are simply the proposed orders previously submitted to the Court or reiterations of the Defendants’ positions at trial.”

The motion had also argued that because the Diocese had argued legal positions in the All Saints case contrary to those now being presented, that Judicial Estoppel should apply. In response, Judge Goodstein sharply noted... “The court finds that the Judicial Estoppel argument is without merit....If the Defendants’ argument in the instant action was correct, no party previously adjudicated to be wrong would be able to correct their conduct in compliance with a court’s holding. Such a result would be contrary to all sense of justice and order... With regards all other matters presented in Defendants’ Motion for Reconsideration, they are hereby denied.”

I just loved this--Watch it all.]]>2015-03-02T20:33:21+00:00Bishop of Lichfield: “40 years seem a good stint”http://www.kendallharmon.net/t19/index.php/t19/article/59094/
The_ElvesThe Right Reverend Jonathan Gledhill is today announcing his retirement as Bishop of Lichfield.
Bishop Jonathan, 66, formally announced his retirement at a meeting of the College of Canons at Lichfield Cathedral this afternoon. He will leave office in September 2015.
In a video message, Bishop Jonathan said: “Forty years of ministry seem a good stint to Jane and me.”
“It is with great mixed feelings that I make this announcement. But Jane and I know that, much as we will find it difficult to leave your love and prayers, it would not be right to continue much longer.”* Anglican - Episcopal, Anglican Provinces, Church of England (CoE), CoE Bishops

Read and watch it all]]>2015-03-02T20:18:33+00:00A Fort Worth Star Telegram Article on the latest Legal Developments in the Fort Worth legal Tussleshttp://www.kendallharmon.net/t19/index.php/t19/article/59095/
Kendall Harmon* Anglican - Episcopal, Episcopal Church (TEC), TEC Conflicts, TEC Conflicts: Fort Worth, * Christian Life / Church Life, Parish Ministry, Stewardship, * Culture-Watch, Law & Legal Issues, * Theology, Ethics / Moral Theology, Pastoral TheologyRead it all.]]>2015-03-02T19:19:59+00:00Edward Chorley—The Episcopal Church’s Prayer Book of 1789http://www.kendallharmon.net/t19/index.php/t19/article/59087/
Kendall Harmon* Anglican - Episcopal, Episcopal Church (TEC), TEC Bishops, * Christian Life / Church Life, Church History, Liturgy, Music, Worship, --Book of Common Prayer, * International News & Commentary, America/U.S.A.
When the adjourned Convention met, Bishop Seabury was present together with deputies from Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, this being the first time the New England churches were represented in General Convention. Certain modifications were made in the Constitution to meet the views of New England, and on October 2 it was finally adopted. The Convention then separated into two houses--the House of Bishops and the House of Clerical and Lay Deputies.

The way was now open to proceed to the adoption of a Book of Common Prayer for the American Church. Immediately a difference of opinion manifested itself. The Bishops held that the English Prayer Book was still the Liturgy of the American Church and that "it should be taken as the book in which some alterations were contemplated." On the other hand, the Deputies took the position "that there were no forms of prayer, no offices and no rubrics until they should be formed by the Convention now assembled." Hence they appointed committees to "prepare" the various offices.

The revision covered a period of thirteen days....

Read it all.]]>2015-03-02T11:00:30+00:00A Look Back to 2007—Trevin Wax interviews Tom Wrighthttp://www.kendallharmon.net/t19/index.php/t19/article/59092/
Kendall Harmon* Anglican - Episcopal, Anglican Provinces, Church of England (CoE), CoE Bishops, * Theology, Christology, Soteriology, Theology: Scripture
N.T. Wright: I could try taking a Pauline angle. When Paul talks about “the gospel,” he means “the good news that the crucified and risen Jesus is the Messiah of Israel and therefore the Lord of the world.” Now, that’s about as brief as you can do it.

The reason that’s good news… In the Roman Empire, when a new emperor came to the throne, there’d obviously been a time of uncertainty. Somebody’s just died. Is there going to be chaos? Is society going to collapse? Are we going to have pirates ruling the seas? Are we going to have no food to eat? And the good news is, we have an emperor and his name is such and such. So, we’re going to have justice and peace and prosperity, and isn’t that great?!

Now, of course, most people in the Roman Empire knew that was rubbish because it was just another old jumped-up aristocrat who was going to do the same as the other ones had done. But that was the rhetoric.

Paul slices straight in with the Isaianic message: Good news! God is becoming King and he is doing it through Jesus! And therefore, phew! God’s justice, God’s peace, God’s world is going to be renewed.

Read it all.]]>2015-03-02T10:28:33+00:00Upcoming TEC House of Bishops Meeting Announces its Themehttp://www.kendallharmon.net/t19/index.php/t19/article/59086/
Kendall Harmon* Anglican - Episcopal, Episcopal Church (TEC), TEC BishopsRead it all.]]>2015-03-02T10:00:49+00:00Nearly 400 to Gather for Upcoming Annual Convention of the Diocese of South Carolinahttp://www.kendallharmon.net/t19/index.php/t19/article/59082/
Kendall Harmon* Anglican - Episcopal, * Christian Life / Church Life, Parish Ministry, * South Carolina, * Theology
“We have so much to celebrate as a diocese,” said the Rt. Rev. Mark Lawrence, 14th Bishop of the Diocese. “Coming together at the Convention gives time to express our gratefulness to God, celebrate the life and growth in our congregations and move forward in spreading the Gospel and shaping Anglicanism in the 21st century.”